Supporting the work styles of different generations.

Generations in the Workforce

Today’s workforce has more generations working together than ever before.  Generation Y is beginning to enter the workforce.  These young professionals have never known a world without a computer and most have known and used cell phones and the internet since they were preteens.  The Baby Boomer generation is still present in the workforce.  These individuals have witnessed great changes in technology and therefore, changes in the workplace.  And then there is Generation X and the others that fall in between.  Having this wide range of age groups in the offices requires companies to be mindful of how each generation can work efficiently and happily.  Of course, people are different – each having their own quirks and habits, but generational differences can have a lot to do with how people work.

Younger Generation Work Styles

Some factors you may notice about how Generation Y works is that they don’t necessarily need their own personal space.  They are used to working wherever they can find WiFi.  Younger generations seem to always be “plugged in” to some sort of electronic devise and believe themselves to be excellent multi-taskers.  They are also used to working with others (after many years of group projects in school) and this means they want easy access to their co-workers in order to bounce ideas off of each other and to socialize while at work.

Younger generations can be restless and are more willing to take risks to find a job that will make them happy.  Therefore it is important to design an office that will not only attract young professionals, but retain them:

• Give them flexibility, with multiple areas where they can work.
• Make sure office technology is up to date (or at least don’t let it hold back efficient employees).
• Create informal meeting areas to foster good relationships among employees.

Older Generation Work Styles

Older generations in the workforce usually prefer privacy and need more personal space.  They tend to focus on one task at a time and are less likely to blur the line between work and socializing.  However, Baby Boomers do not underestimate the power of a phone call over an impersonal email in order to develop a healthy professional relationship.  Also, many of these employees will rely on “real” paper documents more than their younger counterparts.

Although these older generations are less likely to complain or leave the security of a job because they don’t like the office environment, that does not mean you should ignore their needs:

• Allow areas for personal space and for focused “ heads down” work.  You should consider acoustical privacy as well as visual privacy.
• Provide adequate storage for paper files and don’t completely get rid of older technology, such as the fax machine.
• Implement change gradually and with their input.

Take some time to study the way your employees work.  Whether or not their work styles are related to their differences in generation, your employees’ work styles need to be supported in a way that promotes productivity, efficiency, and a happy workplace.

Is your office space in need of an evaluation?